To recap 2025, NewsForKids.net is taking a look back at some of the most interesting stories we covered last year.
Today we’re looking at some amazing stories from the world of animals.

Humpback Whale Makes Record-Setting Trip

January 15, 2025

Map showing the shortest distance route between sitings of the humpback whale seen off the coast of Colombia and Zanzibar.
Scientists have discovered that a male humpback whale traveled over 8,100 miles (13,000 kilometers) across three oceans. The journey is the longest known trip for a humpback whale. It’s likely that the whale made the trip in search of a mate.

Bonobos Can Think About What You (Don’t) Know

February 5, 2025

A 25-year-old bonobo named Nyota at the Ape Initiative. A close-up of the ape's face. In the bonobo's right hand, near its mouth, is a broken walnut shell.
As humans, we can think about what other people are thinking, and understand that their ideas might be different from ours. Scientists call this “theory of mind”. An important question is whether animals can do the same. A recent experiment suggests that bonobo apes may share this ability.

Scientists Discover Rare “Bone Collector” Caterpillar

May 22, 2025

This plate has six bone collector caterpillar cases that show the variety of insect parts that are attached to the cases. The parts include beetle wings, ant heads, fly wings and legs, and spider legs and other body parts. The silken case itself is visible with the greyish material (a mix of caterpillar saliva and silk), the insect body parts are then attached with silk to 'hide' the case and the caterpillar living inside it.
Scientists in Hawaii have discovered a new species of moth, and its caterpillar has an unusual lifestyle. It lives in spiders’ webs, eating insects it finds there. To protect itself from the spiders, the caterpillar covers itself with body parts from dead insects. Scientists call it the “bone collector” caterpillar.

Keeping a Rescued Bear Cub Wild

May 29, 2025

The rescued bear cub is seen perched in a leafy "tree" that has been constructed for it to climb.
When hikers in California came across a young bear cub crying on a trail last month, they knew they had to help. It was a rough start for the tiny bear, but now he’s safe, healthy, and growing fast. In a year or so, he may be ready to return to the wild.

Chimps Perform “First Aid” on Each Other

June 4, 2025

One chimp is seen grooming another chimp.
Scientists have long known that chimpanzees sometimes use leaves or insects as medicine. Now, researchers studying chimpanzees in Uganda have discovered that the animals will sometimes provide “first aid” to each other. This suggests that chimpanzees may be able to think about how to help others, as well as themselves.

Clever Cockatoos Learn to Use Water Fountains

June 18, 2025

A group of cockatoos wait on a fence while two cockatoos drink from a water fountain.
Scientists have been studying a group of cockatoos in Sydney, Australia that have a clever trick: they’ve figured out how to drink from water fountains. The birds use one foot to turn the fountain’s handle and then lower their head to the spout, allowing them to drink.

World’s Smallest Snake Found Again After Almost 20 Years

July 30, 2025

Barbados threadsnake seen up close, crawling across a human hand.
The world’s smallest snake – the Barbados threadsnake – hadn’t been seen in almost 20 years. Scientists were beginning to think that the tiny snake might be extinct. But in March, researchers searching a forest in Barbados found one of the snakes under a rock.

Scientists Spot Unusual Hybrid “Grue Jay” in Texas

September 25, 2025

Three birds are shown. On the left is a blue jay, which is primarily blue with some patches of white on wing tips, around the face and on the chest. On the right is a green jay, which is primarily green with a lighter colored chest and a mix of blue and black patches on the face. In the center is a hybrid bird, which is primarily blue and resembles a blue jay, but with a larger area of black on the face, more akin to a green jay.
Scientists have reported on an unusual “hybrid” bird spotted in Texas – a cross between a blue jay and a green jay. The discovery is surprising because the two species are quite different. Scientists think the hybrid could be a result of climate change.

Bearded Vulture Nests Hold Ancient Surprises

November 13, 2025

Among the craft objects in the nests of bearded vultures, part of a slingshot stood out, a fragment of basketry, a piece of sheep leather with painted red lines and, surprisingly, a crossbow arrow, which the bird may have used as a nest material or collected from a prey. A composite image shows the different objects labeled. A: slingshot, B: crossbow arrow, C: grass sandal, D. Woven basket fragment, E: Leather scrap with red lines, F: a dirty, ragged cloth.
Human history is sometimes recorded in unexpected ways. Scientists studying the ancient nests of bearded vultures in Spain have found over 200 human-made items built into the nests. One surprising item was a complete sandal woven from grass and small sticks. The sandal turned out to be 650 years old.

Scientists Surprised by Clever Fishing Wolf

December 3, 2025

The wolf pulls on the rope to bring the trap closer in.
In 2021, the Heiltsuk Nation in Canada set traps to catch invasive European green crabs. The traps kept getting destroyed, and no one knew how. When scientists set up a camera to learn what was going on, they got a surprise: a clever wolf had used a series of complicated steps to get food from the trap.